The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-03-02
"You and | vim 60. Max.n said Tracr,

1 Aou anu Will 70. MaA. sAIu 1EdcF.
"WiH can stay here and guard the
ladies' We'd better start tomorrow
morning if it's clear"
/ The weather was fine next morning,
| and after an early breakfast (that Gra-
ham girl made splendid corn pones)
Tracy and Max left us. Poor Mrs. Bart
lett actually whimpered when they went
/ off
'It seems so awful to be left alone
shipwrecked in this howling wilder
ness" she said.
That's rather mixed metaphor!n
exclaimed viii; '.and not at all compli-
mentary to my bravery, You know,
my dear madam, that | will defend you
as long as have drop of blood left
II these warlike mosquitoes leave me
any to begin with.
VIII is a real nice fellow Qovely to
lead the German withD, but he isn't cut
out for a woodsman. and about the first
thing he did after Tracy and Max had
gone was to tumble down a rocky place
he was getting some rare ferns for
Sadie Avery-and break his leg! Well.
/ don't know what we tooasid have
done had it not been for that Graham
girl! We were all about ready to go
into Mysteries, but she spoke out sharp
and commanding, and told us that we
must help her. We somehow got Will
into the house-it must have looked
ridiculous to see US all pulling and tug
ging at him-and on q cot, and then
Helen went to Mrs. Bartlett's medicine
chest which she had brought along on
account of the children, and got him
something that would keep him quiet
and prevent fever. Then there was
nothing else to do but wait until Tracy
returned; and, o, it seemed ages.
In the meantime something still more
startling took place. We were all rest
ing a bit after our exertions when sud-
denly IN rushed Tom and Tiny, saying
in scared whispers. for VIII was doing,
and we motioned them to be quiet:
20, that Francisco has come backi
he Is coming up from the beach, and
he acts awful queer! He swore at US,
he didr'
.'What! the guide?' said Mrs. Bart
lett ''Girls, he must be drunk or crazy!
What shall We do? O, what shall we
DO? Poor VIII can't protect us!''
And he mustn' be disturbed, either"
said Helen Graham, decidedly. Wen
have to settle with Francisco ourselves
He does look crazy or drunk" going to
the door and looking out at the rolling.
staggering figure coming up the pebbly
path.
1t was quite evident that be was drunk
unfortunately not enough to make
him clumsy and helpless, but enough to
be ugly and reckless. His boldness
showed that he knew we were without
a defender.
Helen Graham stepped outside the
door, one hand hanging down in the
folds of her gown. Her face was white,
but otherwise she seemed calm.
What do you want. Francisco?" she
called out, in steady tones.
He swore like "a pirate as he answer
id:
''How, look here, girl. you needn't put
on any aIrsi There amt no one but that
crippled dandy in therei Eve come to
have my just dues. The boss, Loring,
wouldn't allow me any whisky and so /
went off and helped myself Now, I've
come back to settle up! You women
have got to fork over what money and
valuables you've gotr' and with that
the ugly brute drew step nearer.
never knew Helen Graham's eyes
could flash so. Stand backr she cried.
She raised her right hand from the folds
of her gown, and caught a steely
CLEAN. 1t was Wills reyolyeri
Francisco didn't relish that little shin
ing weapon being pointed at him, and
ne cringed down like a whipped cur
Now" continued Helen, You 90
and sit down under that treet'
30, I'll leave now-I won't trouble
you any more" he mumbled.
''Do as L tell you-sit DOWN. said
she, sharp and stern. and sit down he
did; and then she mounted guard over
him, the pistol still in her hand. We
begged her to let him go.
NO" said she; Il can't trust him out
of our sight; he's mean enough to do al
most anything! He's got to stay here
until the men come and he can be plac-
ed under the arm of the law"
So watch him she did all that long
afternoon. 1t was dreary waiting. Not
until the silver sheen of the lake grew
purple with the long mountain shadows
did help come. Then. far down the
lake. came a CHEEKY "Yo-O-deH' and
two boats swept around the curve.
Tracy, Max, Farmer Giles. and a trusty
guide were in them. And scarcely had
all our excited explanations been given,
when. what do you suppose?-that Gra-
ham girl tainted away as white and
limp as any ordinary woman! There
was a good deal in the expression of
Tracy's face as he caught her in his
arms, and Cara and | felt that our
chances were small-a man never looks
like that unless he is holding the wo-
man he wants for his wife!
Well, to return to the prose part; we
somehow got back to civilization again.
Poor VIII was placed in the doctors
care, and the poetical but erratic Fran
cisco was handed over to the tender
mercies of the constable. As for our
selves-dear mel what with stones,
mud, briers and underbrush. worms,
snakes. and mosquitoes. to say nothing
of tipsy guides and plucky governesses
we, Cara and |, as | said before, neUer
want to camp out again!